3 min read
Whether you are looking to do a little wine shopping during the day or spending quality time with friends at night, The Fox Barn Winery has everything you need for a good time in the Silver Lake area. Located just a mile and a half from the Silver Lake Sand Dunes, Fox Barn has a beautiful view of the very vineyards used to harvest and create their delicious wine each year.
This summer I had the opportunity of meeting Kellie Fox, owner of The Fox Barn Marketplace and Winery. As a female entrepreneur from Michigan, Kellie has been around the farming business for much of her life. Prior to opening the winery in 2008, the Fox’s had been a part of the farming culture for over five generations. Already a part of the harvesting side of wine making, Kellie and her Husband Todd saw an amazing opportunity in the wine business and took it.
Although they already had a great idea and the beautiful farmland to create a winery business, it took dedication and time to build what the winery is today. Now with this new business idea Kellie had to learn how to make the wine they would sell at Fox Barn. Kellie took the initiative to teach herself how to make wine through reading books and taking wine making classes.
I asked Kellie what the main struggle for her was in being a business owner. She responded that she has always been a self taught person, but as the winery continued to grow, she had to learn to teach her team as well. Kellie explained that it was definitely a learning process to teach others, but works everyday to be a better boss and a better teacher to her staff.
As a business major at Ferris State University, I too hope to one day be a successful female entrepreneur from the Michigan area. I believe that the best entrepreneurs are the ones who can make mistakes and grow their business for the better. It is so important to grow not only your business, but also yourself while being a business owner.
This summer has already taught me so much and helped me connect with successful entrepreneurs like Kellie Fox. It was a pleasure exploring the Silver Lake area and tasting all that Oceana County has to offer.
